Movie Review: Metro… In Dino — When Love Fumbles, and Music Finds It Again

Why do we suffer from unprecedented need to fix life, sometimes it just needs to be heard, it doesn’t require fixing, its beautiful in its flawed glory, and that is the glory of Anurag Basu helmed Metro In Dino. An urban symphony, which is strongly melodic, gently aching and deeply emotional anthology that doesn’t tries to offer answers, but let you sit with the questions and deal with your feelings. The film doesn’t create drama, it allows you to sit with stillness between the chaos, we know all too well.

Spiritual sequel to Life In A Metro, the bustling and ever moving urban city once again takes the centre stage, not as a backdrop, but as a living, breathing character, which is not filled with cliched traffic jam, or professional deadlines, but human emotion and relationships, especially Love, at all ages and all kinds.

People longing to be heard, held, loved and understood, and hope, that still cling, despite everything and amidst that noise, Pritam’s music acts like a soft whisper in your ear, telling you to slow down, and emote, feel and understand.

Basu weaves a tale of intimate yet flawed stories, one just one but many – kicking off with Monty (Pankaj) and Kajol (Konkona), dealing or rather struggling with a boring and stale marriage, then there is mature Shibani (Neena), who is still waiting for dignity after years of emotional neglect, hiding her loneliness behind sass.

Fatima as Shruti, who is in a long distance marriage with Akash (Ali), and their trust and relationship are slipping into quiet despair. And then we got, two loveable and relatable young people, and hopeful stranger - Chumki (Sara Ali Khan) and Parth (Aditya Roy Kapur) — stumble into each other’s orbit, all these characters makes up the world of Metro In Dino.

The film stand out with its layered writing and cinematic brilliance, but its emotional honesty and relatable characters dealing with relationship, second chances and hope, it doesn’t paint a pretty picture but holds up a mirror to the modern times with yet ever so hopeful heart. It is tenderly hilariously and deeply connecting.

The ensemble anthology is loaded with brilliant performances, it’s Sara Ali Khan who quietly nudges at your heart and steals it for good. She take a break from tried and tested craft tools and ventures into a far more restrained, emotionally vulnerable space, which is tough call for an actor, but she shines like a star. As Chumki, a young and beautiful girl, who has seen too much too soon, Sara delivers a performance that’s subtle, layered, and full of texture. Her silence at times is deafening its easily one of her most authentic role to date.

Apart from the stunning and stellar performances, it’s the music that weaves the emotional thread throughout the film. Pritam, along with singers like Papon and Raghav Chaitanya, delivers a score that doesn’t just complement scenes — it becomes them. The writing is superlative, each and every character is written with care, and every storyline lands.. The trio of Pankaj-Konkona, Neena-Anupam, and Ali-Fatima are handled with depth and restraint.

The first half of the film is breezy, yet profound. The second half is even more profound and soul stirring. Basu takes his time to establish everything, let everyone breath into it, and eases into the climax, which unfolds organically.

The film doesn’t aim to make any bold or loud statement, the film is about people, flawed on their most glorious day, it’s about people like us, who are hurt but hopeful, fearful yet hopeful, especially in love, but despite contradictory emotions, we are still trying.

The film is imperfect, vulnerable, and quietly beautiful — just like love! Come fall in love again!